QUEEN OF SPAIN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 September 1924, Page 6

QUEEN OF SPAIN.

VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND PAVILION AT WEMBLEY. HER REQUEST FOR A CHEESE.

LONDON, July 19. Last Friday morning the New Zealand Pavilion, at Wembley was honoured by a further visit from Royalty. This time the Queen of Spain came with her mother and her two daughters— H.R.H. Princess Beatrice, and the Infantas Beatrix and Maria- Christina. The day was very warm so that Princess Beatrice. with Miss Minnie Cochrane in attendance, chose to use a bath-chair to aid her progress at Wembley. On arrival at the New Zealand section. the visitors were met by Mr. A. F. Roberts and Mr. W. E. jC. Reid. On such occasions the Exhibition authorities appoint certain of the hospitality officials to conduct the Royal parties through the pavilions, and uniformed attendants keep the crowds, who usually follow them about, in the background. On this particular occasion the New Zealand Pavilion was thronged with .parties of school children—a usual experience in the forenoon. The sight of so many children, conducted by their teachers, showing such keen interest in the overseas was particularly pleasing to Princess Beatrice. The Royal visitors, in -turn, were taken first through the entrance hall and then through the refrigeration section, afterwards seeing the secondary industries, the cinema hall, the Maori and Samoan houses, finally going to the reception ’room for a few minutes’ rest. It might be mentioned, by the way, that the New Zealand reception room, with its coolness and artistic arrangement, is now extremely popular with all distinguished visitors to the Exhibition, and'is regarded by those responsible for their conduct as a veritable haven of rest for weary sightseers.

Mr. Roberts was particularly struck with the wonderful knowledge the Royal visitors displayed in regard to New Zealand affairs. Princess Beatrice very much admired the scenic beauties of the Dominion as shown by the mural paintings which adorn the top sides of the entrance hall and in the numerous enlarged photographs generally throughout the pavilion. Her Royal Highness asked Mr. Roberts many questions regarding the principal features of our scenery, and also showed a keen interest in ’ the sport which the Dominion has to offer. As is generally the case with distinguished visitors. Lord Jellicoe’s “head” was an object of close attention. The refrigerating section, especially the butter and meat displays and' of freshlooking fruit all appealed to the Princess.

The Queen of Spain spent some time viewing the timber exhibits, and the milking machine, and was rather astonished when she was informed that the latter was not made in America but in New Zealand. This information, of course, had to be supplemented by the statement that over 600,000 cows were milked daily with these machines in New Zealand.

The Royal visitors closely inspected the fur coats made from New Zealand rabbitskins, and the kauri gum exhibit, which the Queen of Spain insisted on calling “amber.”

While among the secondary industries. the Princess Beatrice admired very much the New Zealand woollen hearth-rugs, and the Queen of Spain the New Zealand rugs, and each was extremely pleased when the Exhibition Commissioner presented them respectively with the object of her choice. Before leaving the pavilion, each expressed herself as extremely pleased with the visit, and complimented the Commissioner on the very fine display New Zealand had made." Subsequently, the Queen of Spain asked that, a New Zealand eheddar cheese should be forwarded to her. Before leaving the Queen signed the visitors’ book “Victoria Eugenie.”